Teacher training worksheets- Classroom Language Add Errors
Trainer's instructions
Photocopy one copy of Worksheet 1 per pair of students and cut across the dotted line. Ask two or three people with the same worksheet (i.e. Student As together and Student Bs together) to try to spot any errors in their worksheets. If groups think they have finished and have identified some errors ask them how many they have found and tell them that there are fewer- as there are in fact none at all! Tell everyone that and ask them to add one error to each sentence. They then change groups to work with someone who has the other worksheet, read out their sentences with errors, and see if their new partner can spot the mistakes. They can then go through the sentences one more time, but this time with their partner pretending to be a teacher correcting those mistakes using elicitation etc.
When they have finished, ask them to turn over their worksheets and then give out Worksheet 2. When they think they have finished correcting the mistakes, let them check with their original worksheets, and take questions on why those things are errors and whether there are other ways of changing the sentences to make them correct. You can then discuss how to explain those mistakes to students or elicit self-correction from them, perhaps practicing this in pairs.
Discuss whether they could use an activity like this in their classes, and if they know other ways of making error correction more interactive and/ or fun. You can also discuss whether this is useful classroom language for their classes, and if not how they would vary the language they use or they try to make their students use.
Teacher training worksheets- Classroom Language Add Errors
Worksheet 1- Student A
Read through the list below and see how many errors you can find:
"If you throw a six, have another go"
"Can I have your attention please?"
"Why are you late? Did you oversleep?"
"You've been a great help"
"Take your hands out of your pockets"
"That's nice handwriting"
"Next time we'll do it perfectly"
"Take one and pass them on/ along"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teacher training worksheets- Classroom Language Add Errors
Worksheet 1- Student B
Read through the list below and see how many errors you can find:
"You need one card each"
"It's a draw"
"Whose turn is it?"
"Add your scores up"
"Shake hands with your partner"
"Listen to the tape and answer the questions"
"Have a good weekend. See you (, then)"
"See you next Wednesday."
"That was great"
Teacher training worksheets- Classroom Language Add Errors
Worksheet 2
Without looking back at Worksheet 1, try to find the errors in the following sentences:
"If you throw a six, you will have another go" x
"Can I have attention please?" x
"Why are you late? Did you sleep over?" x
"You've been great help" x
"Take your hands out your pockets" x
"That's a nice handwriting" x
"Next time we'll do it perfect" x
"Take one and pass them" x
"You need one card for each" x
"It's a draw game" x
"Who's turn is it?" x
"Add your scores" x
"Shake your hands with your partner" x
"Listen the tape and answer the questions" x
"Have a good weekend. See you later." x
"See you on next Wednesday." x
"That was very great" x
